Can-soldering machine.



No. 629,9I8. n vPatented Aug. l, |899.

` E. 8 W. J. PHELPS.

CAN SULDERINE MACHINE.

(Applicatinn filed Oct. 15, 1898,.)

2 Sheefts-Shest l.

(ha nodal.)

Nn. 629,918. Pafenfed Aug. l, |999. E. & w. .L PHELPs.

CAN SOLDERING HAUHINE.

(Application med om;u 15, 189s.)

2 Silente-Sheet 2.

(No Rodel.)

we Noam Emis oo., Pumaumo.. msnmarcu. u. c.

`vide a novel construction of framework for v UNIT-ED STATES,

PATENT Orrin-n.

EDVIN FHELPS AND l/VALTER J. PHELPS, OF BALTIMGRE, MARYLAND.

CAN-SOLDERiNG MACHINE.

srncrntcarronforming part of Letters Patent 629,918, dated August 1,1899. Application led October 15, i898Il Serial No. 693,644, (No model.)I

T0 all wLvOnLJtNLd-y concern: Be it known that We, EDWIN PHELPS yandWALTER J. PHELPS, citizens of the United States, residing'at Baltimore,State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Gan# means forsupportingY the different parts of the machine, and especially forchucking, rotating, and releasing the'can to be soldered.

A'further object of the invention is to proenable two workmen to use themachine at` `the same time, one being engaged in solder-` ing tops,while the other Workman may be engaged in soldering the bottoms of the`cans, thus greatly facilitating and expeditingv horizontal tables 5atits opposite extremities and which terminal tables l5 constitute thethe handling of the articles.

With these and other objects in view, whichv Will readily appear as thenature of the'in-` vention is better understood, the same consists inthe novel construction, combination, Yand arrangement of partshereinafter Vmore fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The essential or characteristic features ofr the can -soldering machineare necessarily` susceptible toa variety of modifications withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention; but the preferredembodiment of; Vthe invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a perspective view of a double cau-soldering machineconstructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of a portion of the machine, exposing thecan handling and soldering devices at one side thereof. Fig. 3 is avertical transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 ot'v Fig. 2. 'Figal 4i s a top plan view of one end portion of the machine, eX- posing therelative positions `ot' the soldervof the solder-pot 7.

pot', theadjustable soldering-iron, and the revoluble supporting-stepfor the can. Fig. 5.' is a detail in perspective of the solderingironandfits supporting-bracket. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of thesolderpot. Fig. 7 is a det-ail verticalV sectional view ofthe doublebearing-bracket on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detail inperspective of the revoluble gear-block, the feather-key, and aportion'of` the longitudinally-movable and revoluble chuck-shaf t. viewof the adjusting-collar for the chuckshaft. Fig.'l0 is a detail inperspective of the flangedchuck-head for the can. Fig. 11 is a similarview of the revoluble supportingstep for the can.'

Referring to theaccompanying drawings, the numeral 1' designatesanelongatedarched bed-plate supported near itsv opposite ends on theoppositelylocated upright supporting stands or legs 2, which supportingstands or legs sustain the bed-plate-l at apsuficientelevation forconveniently manipulating the cans to be soldered. The arched b d-platelis angled in the direction of its length to form a central orintermediate horizontal portion 3, oppositeinclined side port-ions 4,declining from the central portionv, and the terminal working-tables atwhich the operators stand to handle the cans during the operation ot'vthe machine. Y y y l Each terminal table 5 of the'bed-plate l isprovided therein with a rectangular pot-opening 6, through whichprojects the upper end The solder-pot for each table of the machine'isrectangular in crosssection and of a downwardly-darin g form, so asl tohave the shape approxi mately of a truncated pyramid, and in the presentinvention the portion of the solder-pot which projects upwardly throughthe pot-opening 6 is of a less cross-sectional area than" the saidopening, so as to leave an annular air or cooling space 7 between thewalls of the pot and the edges of the opening 6, so that thehighlyheated walls of the solder-pot will not communicate heat vto thetabled, and thereby heat up the parts attached to the table, so as toseriously interfere with theproper soldering ot the can. Each solder-pot7, which is Fig. 9 is a similar- IOO a shallow basin 9 for holding themolten solder, and this'basin is formed with an approximatelysemicircular corrugated bottom portion 10, the corrugations of whichbottomy portion serve to increase the heating area, and thereby insure aquicker heating of the solder within the basin. gated bottom 10 of itssolder-holding basin the solder-pot 7 is formed with an elongatedheat-chamber 11, which is designed to receive therein a suitable burner12 for directing the flame therefrom against the corrugated bottom 10 ofthe said basin, and by reason of providing the pot with an extendedheatchamber 11 below the solder-basin the heat from the burner isconfined and concentrated, so that the solder is always maintained in aproper melted condition.

In order to adapt the solder-pot 7 to the various adjustments of themachine for different sizes of cans, it is necessary to support the potvso that the same will be capable of vertical adjustment, and toA providefor this the pot 7 is provided on opposite sides and at the lower endthereof with the4 offstanding perforated lugs 13,which receivetherethrough the threaded supporting-bolts 14. The threadedsupporting-bolts 14 are rigidly fitted at their upper ends to the table5 at opposite sides ofA the pot-openin g 6 therein and receive thereonthe fastening-nuts 15. Each bolt Mhas a pair of n-uts 15, arranged,respectively, above and below the lugs of the pot, so that by a propermanipulation of the nuts the solder-pot can bereadily adjusted in avertical direction to correspond with the otheradjustments of themachine and then be fastened or secured in its adjusted position, as maybe plainly seen from Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In connection with each solder-pot supported'byeach table of the machinethere is employed a soldering-iron 16. The solderingiron 16 essentiallyconsists of a fiat bar provided between its ends With a semicircularyseat portion 17 to embrace the portion of the can being soldered, andthe straight terminals of the iron 16 are provided therein withlongitudinally-disposed slots 18, crossing similarly-disposed slots 19,formed in .the upper ends of the inclined arms 20 of thesupporting-brackets 21 for the iron. The support- `ing-.brackets-21 foreach soldering-iron 16 are 'justed'with relation to the proper positionof the soldering-iron within the topbasin of the Solder-pot.

The oppositely-located supporting-brackets 21 for each soldering-ironare substantially Below the corru-l L-shaped; but the arms 20thereof aredisposed obliquely to their horizontal portions, so that said arms willstand in an inclined position, and thereby dispose the solderingironobliquely and at right angles to the axis of rotation of the can to besoldered, as plainly shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings. The slottedterminals of the soldering-iron 6 are adjustably connected to theslotted portions of the inclined arms 2O bymeans of the clamping-bolts24, which connection enables the soldering-iron to be adjustedlongitudinally and vertically to secure a proper centering thereof withrespect to the can and also to adjust the same so as to have the properdip in the solder-bath.

At one side of the pot-opening 6 in each working-table 5 of the machinesuch table has fastened thereon a fixed step-bearing 25, havinga tubularportion disposed at an inclination and receiving in the upper open endthereof the stem or shaft portion 26 of the revoluble step-block 27,forming the lower rest or support for the can to be soldered. The stemor shaft portion 26 of the supportingstep 27 for the can loosely turnsin the inclined step-bearing 25 and is longitudinally adjusted thereinthrough the medium of an adjusting set-screw 28, mounted in the threadedopening in the closed end of the bearing 25 and impinging against theinner lower end of the stem or shaft 26. By reason of thereinployment ofthe set-screw 2S it will be observed that the same gives a doubleadjustment to the step-block 27-namely, in a longitudinal and also in avertical direction-which adjustments correspond tothe adjustments of thesoldering-iron16, so that the step-block 27 can always be properlycentered with respect to the circular seat portion 17 of thesoldering-iron, itbeing observed that said seat portion ot' thesoldering-iron and the stepblock should be concentric to insure theproper support and soldering'of the can.

Cooperating with the revoluble supportingstep 27 on each table of themachine is a longitudinally-movable revoluble chuck-shaft 29. Eachrevoluble chuck-shaft 29 is arranged above and parallel with an inclinedside portion 4 of the bed-plate 1 and carries at its lower end, abovethe table 5, a flanged chuckhead 30, designed to clamp over the end ofthe can@ opposite the end resting on the stepblock 27, and said flangedchuck-head is provided with a collar portion detachably held onto thelower end of the chuckshaft by means of a fastening-screw 3l.. Thedetachable connection between the chuck-head 30 and the lower end ofeach chuck-shaft 29 permits diferent sizes of chuck-heads to be fittedon the chuck-shaft, according to the size of the cans to be soldered.

Each of the inclined chuck-shafts 29, arranged, respectively, over theopposite inclined portions at of the bed-plate, is supported forasliding and rotary movement in the oppositely-arranged bearing-brackets32 and IIC 33, respectively. Both of said brackets are stationary; butthe bracket 32 is fastened to the inclined portion 4 of the bed-plateand the bracket 33 fastened to the central horizontal portion 3 of thebed-plate, it of course being understood that these brackets arearranged`in duplicate at both sides of the vertical center of themachine. The inner iixed lbearing-bracket 33 for each revolublechuckshaft is formed in three sections assembled together to provide adouble bearing, said sections being designated, respectively,by thenumbers 34, 35, and 36.

The lowersection 34 of each bearing-b racket 33 has a ilan'ge-,and-boltconnection 37 with the intermediate section 35, Whichhas a similarange-and-bolt connection 38 with the upper or cap section 36, andbetween the abutting sections 34 and 35 is formed a horizontal bearing39 for the horizontal drivin g-shaft 40, arranged horizontally above thecentral por4 tion 3 of the bed-plate andcarrying the loose and fastpulleys 4l and`42v, respectively, for `receivingthe' driving-belt 43.The opposite ends of the drivin g-shaft 40 are journaled in vthebearings 39 .of the oppositely -located brackets 33, and each of saidbrackets 33 has formed between the intermediate and upper sections' 35and 36 thereof'an inclined bearing 44, in which is revolubly mounted anan- -nularlygrooved gear-block 45, provided at one end with a bevel-gear46, meshing with a corresponding gear 47 on the contiguous 'terminal ofthe drivingLshaft 49.

. Each revoluble gear-block is provided within the bore thereof with alongitudinal key seat'or groove 48, adapted to receive therein afeather-key 49, having retainingshoulders 50 at its ends engaging theends vof the gear-block to obviate relative displace- The saidfeather-key 49 loosely regisment. ters in a longitudinal feather-groove5l,t`ormed in the inclined chuck-shaft 29 and extending, in thepractical construction oi' the machine,`

jindependent of its sliding movement, and each chuck-shaft 29 isnormally forced in -a longitudinal direction toward the revoluble step27 through the medium of a pressurespring 52.

The revoluble pressurespring 52 for each chuck-shaft 29 is arranged onsuch-shaftvand interposed between the gearend of the'block A45 and theadj listing-collar 53, adjustably fasintermediate its ends, as at 58, inthe bedl plate l andhaving attached to its arm belowV the bed-plateauoperating-rod 59, leading to a treadle 60, hinged to the floorsupporting the machine. Normally they spring 52 forces the chuck-shaft29 in a downward direction, and thereby causes the chuck-head 30,carried thereby,lto clamp over one end of the can to be soldered,and theadj listing-collar 53 should be so adjusted that when the chuckheadengages the can-body said collar will not contact with thebearing-bracket 32 and will thereby allow the full pressure of thespring 52 to be exerted against the can-body, so that the latter will beheld tightly chucked between the oppositely-located chuck-head 30 andsupporting-step 27. The rotation of the chuck-shaft 29 causes thecan-body to rotate Within the circle of the soldering-iron 16, and whenthe soldering is effected the operator simply depresses the treadle 60,which, through the medium of the connections described, slides the shaftin a line backward and upward through the gear-block 45 and releases thesoldered can, which can then be thrown aside and replaced by anunsoldered can, which operation is continually repeatedy during theworking of the machine.

The relative adjustments of the revoluble supporting-step, of thesoldering-iron, and

bearings to the proper position, said chuck-` shaft being capable ofadjustment for use in connection with any length of can ranging from oneinch up to nine' inches, therebygiving the machine a wide range ofadjustment, so that the' same can be used for soldering all ordinarysizes of cans.

From the foregoing' it is thought that the4 construction,operation,andmany advantages of the herein-described can-soldering machine will bereadilyunderstood yby those skilled in the art without furtherdescription, and it will further be understood that changesv in theform, proportion, and theminor details of Vconstruction mayT be resortedto without departing Afrom the principle or 'sacrificing any of theadvantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

l. In a can-soldering machine, a bed-plate having a pot-opening therein,a vertically-ad j ustable solder-pot suspended from the under side ofthe bed-plate and projecting upwardly through Vand above the plane ofthe pot-opening, said pot being of less cross-sectional area than thepot' opening, a soldering-iron supported on the top of` the bed-platefor vertical adjustment independently of the pot, said IOO ITO

soldering-iron projecting into the'pot, and a revoluble can-supporthaving an adjustment corresponding to the adjustment ofthe pot and theiron, substantially as set forth;

2. In a can-soldering machine, the bedplate having a pot-openingtherein, a solderpot lying Within said opening out of con-tact with allof its edges and projecting above and belowr the same, said solder-potbeing provided on opposite sides at the lower end thereof beneaththebed-plate with offstanding perforated lugs, stationarysupporting-bolts depending from the bed-plate and extending through theperforated lugs of the pot, fastening-nuts engaging the boltsrespectively at opposite sides of said lugs, and a can-handling device,substantially asset forth.

' 3. In a can -soldering machine, the. bedplate, a solder-pot adjustablysupported by the bed-plate, a soldering-iron also adjustably supportedby the bed-plate independently of the pot, and projecting into thelatter,and a revoluble can-support arranged on the bed-plate andadjustable relatively to the adjustable pot and soldering-iron,substantially as set forth.

4:4111 a can -soldering machine, the bedplate, a' vertically-adjustablesolder-pot, an arched soldering-iron supported for vertical adjustmentindependent of the pot and projecting therein, and a revolublecan-support arranged on the bed-plate and adjustable relatively to theadjustable pot and solderingiron, substantially as set forth.

5. Inacan-soldering machine, the supporting-bed, a vertically-adjustablesolder-pot, a soldering-iron supported for vertical adjust- I'nentindependent of the pot, and a revoluble can support having anladjustment corresponding to the adjustment'of the pot and the iron,substantially as set forth.

6. In a can-soldering machine, the supporting-bed,avertically-adjustable solder-pot, a soldering-iron supported on the bedand adj ustable transversely of the pot and also in-a verticaldirection, and a revoluble can-support adjustable to different lengthsof cans and-"a'lsohaving an adjustment corresponding to the verticaladjustment of the pot and the iron, substantially as set forth;

7. Ina can-soldering machine, the supporting-bed, a solder-pot, anobliquely-arranged soldering-ironhaving a semicircular seat portion.dipping in the pot, and a revoluble cansupport arranged' at aninclination and concentric Withthe seat portion of the solderingiron,substantially as set forth.

8. In a can-solderin g machine, the supporting-bed, a solder-pot, anobliquely-a-rranged' soldering-iron having a semicircular seat portiondipping in the pot, means for adjusting the soldering-iron transverselyof the pot and also vertically, and a revoluble can-support arrangedatan inclination concentric with the seat portionof the iron andadjustable to different lengths of cans, substantially as set forth.

9. Ina can-soldering machine, the combination with the soldering-pot andthe inclined revoluble can-support, of supporting-brackets arranged atopposite sides of the pot and having inclined arms, anda vertically andlongitudinally adjustable soldering-ironhaving adjustable connectionwith said inclined arms and provided with a semicircular seat portiondipping in the pot, substantially as set forth.

lO. In a can-soldering machine, a supporting-bed, a solder-pot, asolder-iron adjustable transversely of the pot and also in a verticaldirection, and acan-support adjustable to different lengths of cans andalso having an adjustment corresponding to the vertical adjustment ofthe iron, substantially as set forth.

ll.- In a can-soldering machine, the combination with the bed, thecan-support,and the solder-pot; of an adjustable soldering-'iron supportfitted to the bed, and a soldering-iron having adjustable connectionwith its adjustable support, whereby said iron may have an independentadjustment transversely of the pot, and also in a vertical direction,substantially as set forth.

12. In a can soldering-machine, the bedplate having a table supportingthe solderpot, an inclined supporting-step mounted on the table,oppositely-arranged.bearing-brackets mounted on the bed-plate, the innerof said brackets having an inclined bearing and also a lower horizontalbearing, a drive-shaft mounted in said lower horizontal bearing andcarrying a gear-Wheel, a-revolu-blegear-block mounted in said inclinedbearing and having a gear meshing wi-th the gear of the driveshaft, anda longitudinally-movable an-d revoluble inclined chuck-shaft carryingachuc'k- 4head and having a slidingV feather connection With'saidgear-block substantially as set forth.

13. In a can-soldering machine, the bed- IOO plate having a tablesupporting the solderl pot, an inclined supporting-step mounted on thetable, oppositely-arranged bearing-brackets mounted on the bed-plate,the inner of said brackets having anin'clined bearing, and a lowerhorizontal bearing, a driving-shaft mounted in said-lower horizontalbearing and carrying a gear-wheel, a revoluble gear-block mounted insaid inclined bearing and having a gear meshing with the gear of thedrivingshaft, a revoluble inclinedehuck-shaft carryinga chuck-head andhavinga sliding feather connection with said gear-block, said chuckshaftalso turning and sliding in the outer of said bearing-brackets, an adjusting-collar adv justably mounted on the chuck-shaft, a'springinterposed between the gear-block and said adjusting-collar, and atreadle having' lever connections with said adjusting-collar,substantially as set forth.

14. In a can-soldering machine, the bed-` plate having a centralhorizontal portion, opposite inclined side portions and terminalhorizontal tables at its extremity, solder-pots supported by saidterminal tables, supporting-steps mounted at anY inclinationon theterminal tables, opposite pairs of bearingbrackets mounted respectivelyon the in- IIO . 629,918 f t a of the bracket mounted tl1ereon,saiddrivingshaft having gear Connections with the chuckshafts, substantiallyas set forth. AIn testimonyT that We Claim the foregoing as I 5 ourownWe have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two lWitnesses.Y

elined and central horizontal portions of thebed-plate, saidbearing-brackets on the eentral horizontal portion of the bed-platehaving separate upper and lower bearings, the 5 upper of which bearingsare disposed atan angle, revoluble and longitudinally-movable and adjE1s-table chuck-shafts arranged above A EDWIN PHELPS. and parallel withthe inclined portions of the y VALTER J. PHELPS. bed-plate, and ahorizontal driving-shaft ar- Witnesses: l Y

ro ranged parallel with the central portion of the JOHN L. HEBB,

hed-plate and j ournaled in the lower bearings PARKS FISHER.

